2021 Audi S3 Looks Impressive In Acceleration And Top Speed

The recently revealed 2021 Audi S3 Sportback is forbidden fruit in the United States. That’s too bad, because its 306-horsepower (228-kilowatt) 2.0-liter turbocharged engine makes the S3 a gutsy five-door hatch. That’s confirmed in a new video from Automann-TV on YouTube, which sampled the Audi’s accelerative performance from both a standstill and a 100-km/h (62-mph) roll.

When Audi launched the S3, it claimed a 0-62 mph (100 km/h) time of 4.8 seconds for the hot hatch. That’s the first test performed in the video, using the secure space of a race track to set up the launch control for what should be an ideal run. We know automakers sometimes exaggerate performance statistics, but in this instance, the published time was achieved without issue. In fact, the test run returned the exact same time of 4.8 seconds. Well done, Audi.

From there, the testing moved to unrestricted sections of German autobahn for rolling runs of 62 mph - 124 mph (100 km/h - 200 km/h). There wasn’t an official automaker benchmark for comparison, but after some test sprints, the S3 returned a time of 11.8 seconds. The video notes it was quite a bit faster than the previous-gen VW Golf R they tested, despite only having a small power advantage. The driver couldn’t resist continuing the pull to brush against the S3’s factory limited top speed of 155 mph (250 km/h), and with the speedo still climbing with gusto at that point, we suspect it could go quite a bit higher with the limiter removed.

While the S3 hatchback won’t arrive on U.S. shores, there is some good news for Americans seeking a new S3 experience. Audi recently confirmed the S3 sedan will enter the market as a 2022 model. It packs the same powertrain and all-wheel-drive grip as the Sportback, but sadly there will be a wait before the car arrives. As a 2022 model, it’s slated to reach dealerships late in 2021.